Sanctuary Cities – What are They?

Sanctuary Cities are places in the United States and Canada that follow certain practices that protect illegal immigration. These protections can be authorized by law or by practice.

The idea of a sanctuary city has been in the news lately because of the death of Kathryn Steinle who was allegedly shot by an illegal immigrant, Franciso Sanchez. This happened in San Francisco, California. On March 26, Mr. Sanchez was booked into the San Francisco County Jail on a local drug charge after serving a federal prison term. The next day the charges were dismissed. After officials confirmed that Sanchez had completed a prior federal prison term and had no active warrants he was released. He was released despite a request from Immigration and Customs Enforcement that he be held.

San Francisco has an ordinance that deemed Mr. Sanchez ineligible for extended detention after the local charges were dismissed. The immigration hold is deemed a request and not a legal basis to hold someone.

San Francisco’s mayor is quoted as having said, “San Francisco’s Sanctuary City Policy protects residents regardless of immigration status and is not intended to protect repeat, serious and violent offenders”.

According to records, Michigan has two sanctuary cities – Detroit and Ann Arbor.

Sanctuary Cities and Immigration Issues Require Lawyers That Have Experience Dealing With ICE and Homeland Security

You would expect that certain areas of the United States would be more welcoming of immigrants than others, especially undocumented and illegal immigrants by creating Sanctuary Cities. With the 2016 Presidential campaign already heating up immigration is already a hot button issue and will likely stay that way. Immigration will be at the forefront in the minds of law enforcement, prosecutors and judges. No one wants a repeat of what happened in San Francisco. That having been said this is why if you are facing any sort of criminal trouble and are not an American citizen, you must have the best attorney available. The best attorney will not only specialize in criminal defense, but will also be extremely effective regarding immigration issues. The attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. have spent their entire careers fighting to protect those people charged with crimes. The firm’s attorneys are also specialists in helping people handle immigration problems. Immigration problems can happen in the most minor criminal matters. Therefore, it is important that you seek experienced legal help no matter what the charge is, so that you are protected against the legal consequences of your situation, and the immigration consequences too. Call LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. at (248) 263-6800 for a free consultation or complete a Request for Assistance Form and one of our attorneys will call you. We are here to help.